


Like There's Nothing To It

by Akumeoi



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Game: Kingdom Hearts II, Gen, M/M, Protective Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Riku (Kingdom Hearts) Appreciation, Riku (Kingdom Hearts) Has Issues, Riku (Kingdom Hearts)-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-21 19:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17648369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akumeoi/pseuds/Akumeoi
Summary: How was Riku able to get the box containing sea salt ice cream to Sora during the events of Kingdom Hearts II without revealing his identity? And what was going through his mind as he did - seeing the person he would've gladly died for, yet being unable to reach out to him?





	Like There's Nothing To It

**Author's Note:**

> This is my piece for the Treasured Memories Zine, of which I was also a mod. We had a word limit of 1,000 words. Fic dedicated to my friend E, with thanks for getting me into Kingdom Hearts.
> 
>  ~~Comments always welcome!~~  
>  EDIT: Any comments on my interpretation of Riku and Maleficent's relationship will be deleted unless they are respectful. I don't believe Riku and Maleficent have a healthy relationship and I don't want to debate about it further. Thanks for understanding.
> 
> Any OTHER comments are welcome.

_“Sora can find the brightest part of anything, and pull off miracles like there's nothing to it. It's pretty hard not to smile around him.”_  
-Riku, Dream Drop Distance

Sora could pull off miracles like there was nothing to it. But for Riku, it took some work. 

First, he had to collect some necessary items - sea salt ice cream, a photo of Roxas, and a cold-enchanted box to keep them in. Then, Riku opened a dark portal to Hollow Bastion in the hopes of hiding the box in Ansem’s office for Sora to find after he came out of the computer. But when he arrived at the Bastion, Riku discovered that he was too late. A freaking _heartless army_ was arrayed down in the valley - plus Xemnas, several other Organisation XIII members… and even Queen Maleficent. Riku groaned in annoyance and pinched the bridge of his nose.

 _A party at Hollow Bastion, and of course I wasn’t invited,_ Riku thought. He looked down at the box he held in his hand, which was turning his fingers numb from the cold enchantment. He had to find a way to get this to Sora, but _how?_ Riku wore the hideous face of Ansem. It wasn’t like he could just appear in front of Sora and shove the box in his face, as tempting as the idea was. And besides, Sora was already engaged in battle. If only there were a way to cut through the noise and get Sora into the calm of the Realm of Darkness, just for a moment…

 _Oh, but there is a way,_ Riku’s treacherous mind whispered to him. _Use Maleficent._

His stomach roiled. He could smell the scent of her curdled, acrid darkness floating towards him on the wind. It was stupid to be afraid of Maleficent, who Sora had soundly defeated, who no longer held a claim on Riku’s soul. It was stupid, but Riku wanted to run away.

The coldness in his fingers was helping to ground him. He pictured Sora’s bright smile, and felt sick even as he knew, absolutely, that he would go through with this - for him.

Riku took a deep breath and opened a portal to the Realm of Darkness. The Darkness had corridors and pathways, like a gigantic invisible labyrinth, and this was the passageway that Maleficent had always used to communicate with him in the past. Of course, she sensed his presence as soon as he arrived.

“What are you doing?” Maleficent snapped, appearing out of the darkness. “Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something, you useless imbecile?”

Riku had to work to keep his reaction to her presence internal. He was stupidly thankful she couldn’t see his face under the shadow of his hood. Seeing hers was like a punch to the gut. “I think we can help each other,” he said, trying for impassive. “You want to defeat the white Dusks? So do I. Do me a favour and I’ll have Sora do it for us.”

“Be quick about it,” Maleficent said. 

Riku quickly outlined his request: bring Sora here, and then something advantageous would happen. Securing her agreement was easy. Riku played on her dissatisfaction with her current allies (Pete), and eagerness to get rid of the infuriating Organisation XIII. She returned to the field of battle, leaving Riku alone in the Dark Realm, jittery and tense.

Riku shifted the box from one hand to the other, his fingers still stinging with cold. His legs itched to pace and he started forward, then pulled himself back. Long, empty minutes ticked by, filled with nothing but the sound of Riku’s own breathing, his impatience, and the blackness of the void as far as the eye could see. He alternated between cursing Maleficent for taking her sweet time, and speculating about what was going on back at Hollow Bastion. Then –

–a portal opened. Sora, Donald and Goofy fell right through it, landing flat on their faces.

_Sora._

For a moment, Sora lay still. Then, he peeled himself off the ground and got to his feet. He and his friends looked around in confusion, eyes unaccustomed to the dark. But Riku, lurking there, felt safe. He stared at Sora, drinking in the feeling of being near him. Sora’s earnest voice, his familiar gestures - his friend shone with radiant energy, with unrelenting warmth. Riku was so hungry for his presence that it hurt. 

Sora called out, “Kairi! Riku!” and Riku’s heart clenched. The first thing Sora did when entering an unknown place was to call out for his friends. To call out for _him._ The instinct to call back was strong, but he didn’t make a sound. Instead he simply watched, until –

“What? Who’s there?” Donald quacked, catching a glimpse of him. Sora and Goofy turned towards Donald. Sora’s eyes roamed out into the darkness, finally locking onto Riku in the distance. Riku’s breath caught in his throat - that was his cue. Leaving the box behind, Riku stepped through another portal and vanished.

Back on the ramparts, Riku waited for Sora, Donald, and Goofy to emerge from the Realm of Darkness, praying Sora would know what to do with the box once he found it. Maybe it would mean nothing to him, and Sora would be trapped here at Hollow Bastion, surrounded by relentless enemies on all sides. The thought of it made Riku’s breath quicken and his pulse pound like drum beats through his veins.

Taking a deep breath, Riku tried to collect himself. He almost wanted to laugh at his own stupidity. _Have faith in Sora,_ he chided himself. Sora could find the brightest part of anything, and the brightest thing Riku knew _was_ Sora. His heart would recognise the significance of the contents of the box even if his mind didn’t.

Just as Riku was thinking that, a golden crown-shape appeared overhead. Riku froze, holding his breath. Then, a glittering beam shot out of the swirling darkness. The sky turned pale as Sora unlocked a world keyhole. A fierce bolt of pride and joy shot through Riku then - Sora had done it. No, _they_ had done it. 

Riku couldn’t resist smiling. The miracle was complete.


End file.
